(Radio Iowa) – Strong sales across the country have pushed the Powerball Jackpot higher again for Saturday’s drawing.

Iowa Lottery spokesperson, Mary Neubauer details the numbers. “It’s a world record for tomorrow’s drawing it’s an estimated $1.6 billion annuity, $782.4 million cash option,” she says. Neubauer says the sales have picked up dramatically in Iowa. She says the number of tickets being bought for the drawing would be a week’s worth of sales when the jackpot is smaller.

Neubauer says more people are buying tickets — but it seems like they are not overspending. “Wednesday night’s drawing the average ticket purchase here in Iowa remained about seven dollars. That’s about four plays per ticket,” Neubauer says. “So we’re just seeing a whole lot of people you know, having fun and playing the game but people aren’t going overboard, and that’s a really important part of the message too. It only takes one ticket to win and we want people to continue to be safe and just have fun, but don’t get in over their heads.”

Neubauer says they keep an eye on one particular figure. “Lotteries can estimate how many of all the possible combinations in the Powerball game have been purchased for a particular drawing. It’s called coverage — meaning how many of the combinations have been covered. The coverage estimate for tomorrow night’s drawing now has risen to 60 percent,” according to Neubauer.” Again, that just shows sales are high. The higher the coverage percentage it can mean it’s more likely that there will be a jackpot winner — it’s not a definite.”

Neubauer says with the large volume of ticket sales, it can take some time to determine if someone has won. “Processing is going to take longer and especially in the really big states around the country — think New York, California, Florida — their processing time is probably going to take longer just because ticket sales have been so high,” she says. “So, I would say sometime, around midnight, maybe a little bit after midnight, the official word will come as to whether or not there was a jackpot winner.”

The estimated $1.6 billion jackpot jumped the previous record Powerball prize of $1.586 billion won in the drawing on January 13th, 2016.

Neubauer says there is the possibility that the jackpot could be raised again before Saturday night’s drawing.

(Rockwell City, Iowa) – A crash Friday morning (11/4) in northwest Iowa’s Calhoun County claimed the life of a woman from Pomeroy, and resulted injuries to a man and woman from Estherville. The Iowa State Patrol says a 2009 Ford Focus driven by 22-year-old Gabrielle Ludwig, crossed the center-line of the road and collided head-on, driver-side to driver-side with a 2012 Ford F-350 pickup driven by 85-year-old Larry Harsin. The pickup was pulling a gooseneck trailer.

After the impact, the trailer went up and over the car. Gabrielle Ludwig died at the scene. Larry Harsin, and his passenger, 81-year-old Sandra Harsin, were injured and transported by Rockwell City EMS to Trinity Hospital in Fort Dodge. All of the victims were wearing seat belts.

The accident, which happened at around 8:40-a.m. at Highway 4 and D-26, remains under investigation. The Patrol was assisted at the scene by the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Dept., Rockwell City P-D, Rockwell City Fire & Rescue, the Iowa DOT Road Dept., and Calhoun County EMA.

ATLANTIC, IA – Cass County will show its support for veterans by lighting up the Courthouse in green while participating in “Operation Green Light for Veterans” during the week of Nov. 7-11. “Throughout our nation’s history, our military and their families have made tremendous sacrifices for our safety and security,” said Mitch Holmes, director of Cass County Veterans Affairs.

“The Cass County Board of Supervisors wanted to make sure our veterans and their families know that their service mattered,” Holmes said. “We’re grateful for their sacrifice, and displaying green lights will show our appreciation and support.” 

In addition to lighting county buildings, residents and businesses are encouraged to participate by simply changing one light bulb in their houses to a green bulb. Operation Green Light for Veterans is a national collaboration between the National Association of Counties (NACo) and the National Association of County Veterans Service Officers (NACVSO) to support military veterans, as well as raise awareness about the resources that are available to assist veterans and their families.

The Cass County Veterans Office has a limited supply of green light bulbs available. Veterans can also contact the Veterans Office about benefits.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA – An Omaha, Nebraska man, Was sentenced to prison Thursday, in Council Bluffs U-S District Court 37-year-old Ronald Wayne Reed II was ordered to serve to 120 months (10-years) in prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

On March 28, 2021, the Mills County Sheriff’s Department received information that Reed and his co-defendant, 33-year-old Anisha Luna, of Omaha, were planning to deliver an ounce of methamphetamine to a confidential source at a McDonald’s parking lot in Glenwood, Iowa. Deputies surveilled the McDonald’s and saw Luna and Reed arrive in a car. After a probable cause search, deputies found over five grams of methamphetamine in possession of Luna and Reed, which they intended to distribute. Investigation showed that Luna and Reed had distributed over a pound of methamphetamine.

Anisha Luna was sentenced on August 3, 2022 to 96 months in prison.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Mills County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa State Patrol, Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement, and Southwest Iowa Narcotics Enforcement Task Force investigated the case. This case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Offices for the Southern District of Iowa.

(Lebanon, Iowa) – The fight to win hearts and minds in the 2022 General Election continues until November 8th. And, while some in the political arena are sweating out these last few days over concerns Iowa may turns more blue or red, one candidate says he’s just looking forward in a positive light and is ready to accept the vote outcome, good or bad. Democrat Mike Franken is hoping to beat long-term Iowa Republican Congressman Charles Grassley in the upcoming election. He told KJAN News that he’s been trying to keep the rhetoric to a minimum, because it’s what the people want.

He says politicians should tone down the speeches and focus on what need to be done.

He says in some parts of the State, the “Iowa nice” mantra, seems to have been forgotten.

Retired Vice Admiral/Iowa Senate candidate, Mike Franken.

Franken says he isn’t a career politician. His advice for Iowans looking to get into politics on any level, is to remember “Don’t let power be corrupting.”

As for those who are heading to the polls on Tuesday, Franken of course, hoped you’ll vote for him instead of his opponent. But more importantly…

(Radio Iowa) – State officials are urging Iowans to be wary of scams that INCORRECTLY claim you can cast your vote online or by phone. Iowa Department of Public Safety Commissioner Stephan Bayens says his agency started investigating a Mahaska County case in September. “Phone calls were being made and attempting to gain either personal information or to leave a false impression that you could vote via the telephone,” Bayens says. “Obviously once that information gets passed up through the Mahaska County Sheriff’s office, it came into the Department of Public Safety and our FBI partners as well.”

As with most phone scams, Bayens says it’s been hard to track down the guilty party on the other end of the line. “Given current digital technology…they can bounce those numbers from across the United States or across the world and so we continue to kind of chase those breadcrumbs,” Bayens says. “In this particular instance, it does not appear that those calls generated in the state Iowa, but were from outside of Iowa.”

Election officials are reminding Iowans that every vote in Iowa is cast by paper ballot, either on Election Day or with an absentee ballot during the early voting period.

(Mount Ayr, Iowa) – The Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office reports a woman from Clearfield was arrested Wednesday afternoon on drug charges. Authorities say 34-year-old Margaret J. Williams was arrested on an outstanding Ringgold County warrant for Possession of a Controlled Substance/3rd offense (Class-D Felony), and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. She also faces Felony charges of Theft/1st Degree (a Class C Felony) and a Controlled Substance Violation (a Class B Felony). Williams’ bond was set at $40,000.

During a Taylor County search warrant for stolen items on the western edge of Ringgold County, multiple items were recovered, controlled substances and paraphernalia seized. Two individuals were arrested, but an arrest warrant was issued for the defendant (Williams). She was located during another search warrant in Ringgold County and arrested on the outstanding warrant and additional charges. Margaret Williams was taken into custody and booked into the Ringgold County Jail.

Margaret J. Williams (Ringgold Co. S/O photo)

Investigative Department/Officers: Ringgold County Sheriff’s Office, Taylor County Sheriff’s Office, Adams County Sheriff’s Office, and Union County Sheriff’s Office

*Any potential criminal charges identified above are merely allegations and any defendant are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.